"The ballot is stronger than the bullet."
--Abraham Lincoln
Number 43-- George Walker Bush, that is-- was right about at least one thing during his time in the Oval Office. When you're President of these United States, you're the decider.
But there is a day that comes but once every four years when you, my fellow American citizens out there-- at least them that's bothered to register to vote!--get to be the decider and pull the lever or hang the chad or fill in the oval or tap the screen or do what-have-you to cast your votes for President and Vice President of this country, which we all agree is the last great hope for mankind.
If you can't be bothered and so don't bother to vote, then get at least this: In my book, if you don't vote, you don't get to complain when whoever wins does something you don't like. That goes for your opinions on the folks who voters will land in the White House but also your thoughts on those who will get sent to Congress and into state offices as well tomorrow.
Political parties aren't doing their job if they do not fight to win and all of us can join in!
As for me, I have the greatest respect for anyone who is politically active--be they officeholders or party hacks or, like me, fit in both those categories, or they are simply well-informed voters of whatever political persuasion. I have in fact learned I often have much more in common with members of the major political party I don't belong to as I do with citizens who don't belong to any party.
Be that as it may, the U.S. is a free country and those who make it so include of course everyone who has served in our Armed Forces, past and present, but also every single one of us who has not only exercised our right but carried out our responsibility to vote if for no other reason than to honor the sacrifices of all who fought or died to establish our nation and to preserve, protect and defend its Consitution over these past 221 years.
As for any and all of you who are still "undecided" about who to vote for, all I can say is I simply can't see how you can stand to be in such a lonely place!
Pinup artist Gil Elvgren's classic effort to get at least male voters thinking about election day still speaks louder than a thousand words...
